Basement Chapter 2...

So.  Lead paint.  Thank you so much for all of your suggestions in regards to the paint.  Here's the problem...the only time you cover up the lead paint is when it's in good condition.  Ours...not good.  If you look at this picture you can see...

It's peeling and chipping and yeah...coming off of the walls.  We can't leave that alone.

Stinks huh?

SO!  Our latest chapter has been what to do about lead paint.

Saturday was...er...interesting to say the least.

It involved a ton of staring at the wall.

Head scratching.

Internet research.

Buying some lead tests...just to verify.

More head scratching.

And yeah...not so fun.  So after reading this list...

• Children and pregnant women must not do any lead paint removal work, and they should stay out of the work area until clean-up is complete. (See "Clean-Up" section.) If you're not sure you can clean up every day, arrangements for temporary living quarters should be made.
• Work in one room at a time, and seal off the work area from the rest of the house, including any heating or ventilation ducts, using heavy plastic sheets (6-mil thick is good).
• EVERYTHING in the room (furniture, rugs, carpets, floors, bedding, drapes, dishware, food, toys, etc.) must be removed, or covered with TWO sheets of plastic (again, heavy, 6-mil plastic) and all the seams taped. Plastic used to cover the floor should be secured to the wall or baseboard with duct tape.
• Workers should wear disposable coveralls, shoes, hair covering, goggles and a respirator approved by NIOSH (the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) or MSHA (the Mine Safety and Health Administration). Approved respirators will have an approval number on them, ( i.e., TC-21C-xxx). Only HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) respirators will filter lead dust and fumes. Simple paper or fabric dust masks will NOT protect a worker from lead dust.
• To avoid ingesting lead, workers should not eat, drink or smoke on the job.
• Workers need to clean up carefully. Before leaving the work area, they should dispose of their coveralls, and remove the dust from their clothes with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filtered vacuum cleaner. And workers should shower as soon as they can after work, so they don't spread lead dust around their homes.

 ...we have decided to hire a professional.  I just don't want to even risk my family being poisoned by lead.  Our pitiful little masks obviously didn't do a thing.

So yeah...there we have it.  Saturday was just fine and dandy.  And it's made me kinda paranoid about all the other surfaces in our home.  IE:  My windowsills, my moulding, everything...

Have any of you hired someone to remove the lead in their home?  How much did it cost? Did you have to move out during the time they were removing it?  Oh the joys of old homes.

And just to leave you on a happy note...here is a picture of a beautiful kitchen.  Seriously...  Love it.

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